Head to head

Deputy vs Time Doctor

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Deputy

$5/user/mo Free trial

Shift scheduling, time clocks, and labor compliance for hourly teams. Lite starts at $5/user/mo.

Where Deputy fits

  • Multi-location hourly employers
  • Hospitality, retail, and healthcare rosters
  • Teams that need Fair Workweek-style rules
  • Desks exporting timesheets to ADP, Paycor, or Square

Time Doctor

$7/user/mo 14 day free trial

Remote productivity tracker with screenshots and activity, from $7/user/mo on the Basic annual plan ($80 per user per year).

Where Time Doctor fits

  • Distributed and remote ops teams that want screenshot proof of work
  • Agencies that export approved hours into payroll
  • Hybrid companies comparing office vs remote productivity on Premium
  • Buyers who want a 14-day trial with no credit card

At a glance

DetailDeputyTime Doctor
Starting price$5/user/mo$7/user/mo
Free tier–No–No
Free trialYes14 day free trial
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underTime & attendance, Workforce managementTime & attendance
Capterra4.6 from 773 reviews4.5 from 548 reviews

Where they pull apart

Deputy

Stands out: A public $5/user/month Lite seat that already covers basic rosters, clocks, and labor-law rules, with payroll connectors in the same conversation.

Watch out: Auto-scheduling, biometrics, and SSO sit on Core or Pro. Payroll via Paycor is $8/user/month plus a $49 monthly base.

Not the right fit for

  • Salaried office teams with no shifts
  • Restaurants that want a kitchen-specific product like 7shifts
  • Buyers who need an ATS in the same login

Time Doctor

Stands out: Premium adds Benchmarks AI against 250,000+ users plus Unusual Activity AI for mouse jiggler detection, and Open API access sits only on Premium.

Watch out: Basic has no payroll, no web and app usage reports, and no integrations. Those start on Standard at $14/user/mo month-to-month or $140 per user per year.

Not the right fit for

  • Hourly restaurants that need Fair Workweek shift rosters
  • Teams that will not accept screenshots or activity monitoring

Pros and cons

Deputy

  • Public Lite price at $5/user/mo
  • Labor-law rules in the WFM rather than a separate product
  • Payroll and POS connectors including ADP, Paycor, Toast, and Square
  • Auto-scheduling and SSO are not on Lite
  • Payroll is a paid add-on with a base fee
  • Not an ATS or HRIS of record

Time Doctor

  • 14-day trial with no credit card, and printed Basic, Standard, and Premium rates
  • Time Doctor AI is included in every plan, not gated to Enterprise
  • Premium Open API plus Benchmarks AI against 250,000+ users
  • Basic omits payroll, integrations, and web/app usage reports
  • Open API access is Premium-only
  • Screenshot and activity monitoring will not fit every culture

What each one costs

Deputy

$5/user/mo

From $5/user/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

Time Doctor

$7/user/mo

Basic is $80 per user per year ($6.67/user/mo) or $8 month-to-month. Standard is $140 per year ($11.67/user/mo) or $14 month-to-month. Premium is $200 per year ($16.67/user/mo) or $20 month-to-month. Enterprise is custom. Software Cost Insights is $3/user/mo. Native HRIS or payroll integrations are $200 per integration per month. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Deputy cheaper than Time Doctor?
Deputy starts lower, at $5/user/mo against $7/user/mo for Time Doctor. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Deputy or Time Doctor for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Deputy offers a free trial. Time Doctor offers a 14 day free trial.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 18 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?